Wolfenstein Video Game Series

Video Games Encyclopedia by Gamepressure.com

The ninth installment in the Wolfenstein series, and a continuation of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. The production developed by the Swedish Machine Games studio once again puts the players in the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, who continues his fight against the Nazis.

A Wolfenstein spin-off created by MachineGames. This time around, the game focuses on B. J. Blazkowicz's daughters. The twin sisters Sophie and Jessica get to Nazi-occupied Paris in order to aid the local resistance. Unlike the previous installments, apart from the single-player mode, the game introduces also the cooperative experience.

Another installment of the best-selling FPS series, and at the same time a direct continuation to Wolfenstein: The New Order created by Machine Games. The Action of Wolfenstein: The New Colossus is set in 1961 – after waking up from a coma B.J. Blazkowicz and his companions find the United States of America occupied by the Nazis. The main protagonist finds common ground with the leaders of the local resistance, and decides to help them fight the invaders. As in the previous Wolfenstein installment, the gameplay in The New Colossus features exploration, completing consecutive missions, and eliminating scores of diverse foes. The players are given a wide range of murderous weapons – including not only classic firearms but also some more elaborate pieces. Interestingly, once again the developers have decided to abandon health regeneration mechanics in favor of the old-school med-kit system. The game features high-quality 3D graphics – in comparison to its predecessor, the most significant are the texture and special effect enhancements that accompany the gunfights.

A first-person shooter and the seventh major installment in the Wolfenstein series. This one was developed by Swedish studio Machine Games, founded by former members of Starbreeze Studios. Wolfenstein: The New Order tells an alternative history of the World War II, where the Third Reich won. The game’s main hero is B. J. Blazkowicz, a veteran of the American special forces. After spending 20 years in cryosleep, he has to stand up to the Nazis once more. The gameplay boils down to annihilating armies of enemies with all sorts of weapons, and occasionally solving simple puzzles. The game’s advanced graphics are powered by the efficient id Tech 5 engine, also known from Rage and The Evil Within.

The popular FPS series, dating back to 8-bit computers (1981's Castle Wolfenstein), returns after a few years of absence. As the official owner of the franchise, Activision decided that the game would be created by Raven Software, the company known for Quake IV or the Soldier of Fortune series. Once again, the player assumes the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, who is trying to stop the Nazis and prevent them from inventing a secret weapon known as Black Sun. The story is set in Isenstadt, a fictional city occupied by the Nazi Germany. Nonetheless, a resistance is on the rise, and their help is priceless during several story missions. Apart from the modern-looking visuals, the game offers a wide set of weapons - including both representations of real firearms and a variety of fictional ones. The player can also upgrade the superpowers of the protagonist, gaining additional benefits. The AI of the enemies was improved, and a morale aspect was introduced to the game, affecting the behavior of enemies in combat.

A first-person shooter belonging to one of the most popular game franchises ever created. The player witnesses an alternative course of the Second World War, in which Hitler struggles to create an army of undead super soldiers. The player is put in the shoes of B.J. Blazkowicz - an American commando, whose task is to eliminate the source of the threat located in the titular Castle Wolfenstein. Similar to PlayStation 2, the Xbox console received its own edition of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, which has been enriched with an additional assignment that takes place in Africa - it is the prologue that familiarizes the player with the events that took place before the protagonist got captured by the Nazis. In terms of the mechanics, the game is a robust shooter featuring stealth and action elements. Blazkowicz is able to perfectly handle various firearms used during the World War II as well as futuristic weapons. The protagonist encounters various enemies; among them, one can find regular enemy soldiers, mutants, skeletons or zombies for instance. The multiplayer mode for up to 16 players gathered via Xbox Live is an additional feature the game comes with.

Another installment in the cult series of first-person shooters, the action of which takes place in an alternative version of World War II. Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection is a PlayStation 2 port of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Once again the player assumes the role of B.J. Blazkowicz, an American commando who is tasked with stopping Hitler from creating an army of undead super soldiers. In order to do it the protagonist must infiltrate castle Wolfenstein and eliminate the threat during more than a dozen of missions. Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection for PlayStation 2 contains an additional mission: prologue, during which Blazkowicz fights against Nazis (including a few new opponents) in the city of Ras el-Hadid in Egypt. The gameplay mechanics are based on the basic version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. The protagonist fights overwhelming enemy forces with guns available during World War II and some more futuristic weapons. Thanks to stealth features he can eliminate the opponents quietly. In addition to story campaign the game offers several multiplayer modes.

A first-person shooter set during World War II and an attempt at refreshing the legendary FPS Wolfenstein 3D, a breakthrough installment in the series that originally began in 1981. It was developed by a previously unknown studio called Gray Matter, although id Software, the creators of the original, kept watch over the development process. In the game, we assume the role of an American soldier of Polish descent, B.J. Blazkowicz, who is tasked with stopping a secret Nazi experiment that aims to resurrect prince Heinrich I and use his power to gain upper hand in war. During his mission, the protagonist has to face various enemies that include not only SS soldiers but also creatures that are the result of the secret German experiments and supernatural powers. The game’s multiplayer mode is its big asset—players are divided into Allies and Nazis, and each side has different tasks to perform. The high-quality graphics are powered by a modified Quake III engine.

A sequel to Wolfenstein 3D, a popular shooter developed by id Software. Spear of Destiny was released in 1992, soon after the debut of the first game in the series. Because of that, the gameplay mechanics of both titles are very similar. Once again the player assumes the role of William B.J. Blazkowicz, an American Special Forces commando sent to Nazi Germany. This time he is tasked with reclaiming the legendary Spear of Destiny, moved by the Nazis from Versailles and placed in an inaccessible stronghold at the beginning of World War II. Spear of Destiny offers more than a dozen of new maps as well as some new enemies. In contrast to Wolfenstein 3D, the levels aren’t divided into episodes but form a single long mission which ends with a battle against Adolf Hitler. The gameplay remained unchanged – the action is shown from a first-person perspective and the player travels through corridors filled with enemies whom he defeats mostly by using firearms. Defeating a boss is usually rewarded with a key that unlocks passage to a new location.

A 1992 cult shooter game, often called the “forefather” of 3D FPS games. Wolfenstein 3D was developed by the famous studio id Software, also known from such titles as Doom or Quake. You play as William “B.J.” Blazkowicz, an Allied special forces spy, who undertakes dangerous missions on enemy territory. Blazkowicz is sent to Nazi Germany to infiltrate Castle Hollehammer, a secret base where research on creating a super-soldier is conducted. The singleplayer campaign consists of six episodes, starting with getting out of the eponymous Castle Wolfenstein. In the enclosed locations of the game, you face various opponents, from guard dogs, through foot soldiers, to powerful mutants—at the end of every level, you have to fight a mighty boss enemy. The levels are labyrinth-like, and your primary task in each of them is to find the exit key and proceed to the next location.